Tol'vir
The tol'vir are a race of cat-men found in Uldum that were originally stone constructs created by the titans to safeguard the secrets of that area. They possess feline lower bodies and heads as well as human torsos. They were created to maintain titan repositories and machinery. There was once another society of tol'vir in Northrend, but they were overthrown by the Nerubians and transformed into obsidian destroyers. It is possible that some of the original Tol'vir in Northrend still exist deep within the remnants of Azjol-Nerub. Like many other titan creations, the tol'vir succumbed to the curse of flesh. History The entities known as obsidian destroyers are actually enslaved titan constructs that were once called the tol'vir. The tol'vir were created to maintain titan lore repositories and titan machinery surrounding the titan cities of Ulduar and Uldum. Not long after the troll empires divided the insectoid kingdom of the aqir, the aqir that traveled north discovered and overthrew the tol'vir society in Northrend. These aqir would eventually become the race we know as the nerubians today, having adapted the tol'vir's architecture for their own purposes. Similarly, the aqir that traveled south ransacked and overthrew a titan research station near Uldum, renaming themselves the qiraji and calling their new home Ahn'Qiraj. Although the Scourge would eventually consume the nerubian empire and throw its few remaining tol'vir slaves into the front lines, it's possible that more tol'vir still exist in the hidden titan city of Uldum or deep within the remnants of Azjol-Nerub. Kings and emperors The tol'vir appear to have a long and storied history of various pharaohs, kings and emperors ruling over the tribes. "Sun King" or "sun-king" is a title mentioned at various places throughout Uldum. It is unknown what meaning this title carries or carried. In the reign of Pharaoh Tebhotep a plague of serpents struck the Vir'naal River. Nothing could drive away the reptiles. Then, a second plague appeared, this one of desert scarabs. The scarabs fought the serpents until not a one of either creature was left and peace returned to the land. Emperor Ninjter was foretold to have a long and prosperous rule. The Ramkahen expected greatness from his reign and hoped that he would be able to end a famine that had apparently been plaguing the tribe, but ultimately Ninjter died young and accomplished little during his reign. Unearthed recently in an ancient tomb, the Winged Guardian may have once served one of the ancient Tol'vir princes. A legend among the tol'vir tells of a wicked djinn whom the Ramkahen sought to destroy. In an attempt to prevent his own death, the djinn tried to transfer his spirit into the body of a monkey. He was slain right in the middle of the transference, and only a fraction of his essence had moved over - only enough to possess the monkey's paw. Civil War When the tol'vir were afflicted by the Curse of Flesh, they grieved for their weakened bodies, but there seemed to be nothing they could do to reverse it, so they accepted it and went on with their lives. Even so, many never stopped mourning the loss. As during the Cataclysm, Deathwing returned to the world, he aligned himself with the Elemental Lord Al'Akir, the leader of the air elementals, as well as the Old Gods, who were the source of the curse. When Deathwing came to Uldum, he offered the tol'vir a deal: join him, and he would return their original stone forms to them - the curse would be reversed. The Neferset, led by Dark Pharaoh Tekahn, overwhelmingly agreed to the bargain. Menrim, one of the Neferset, felt differently and tried to convince other Neferset that it was a poor idea they would forever be indebted to Al'Akir and Deathwing. Neferset however were arrogant, believing they could overthrow them and regain their independence once their old forms had been restored. When the tol'vir of Orsis refused, Al'Akir buried the city beneath the sands in a great windstorm. The Ramkahen were also given the same choice but refused; they however have taken steps to insure their safety after seeing the aftermath of the attack on Orsis. War aftermath With the help of valiant adventurers from both Horde and the Alliance, the Ramkahen has managed to take Neferset City and push the Neferset tribe back. The Ramkahen now control most of the tol'vir settlements in Uldum, while the Neferset still hold the southern part of the delta and their stronghold in the Lost City. More Neferset can be seen in the Vortex Pinnacle. Ecology Description The tol'vir have humanoid upper torsos with a more lionine bottom half. Their faces are also very lionine, with sleek features and sharp fangs. Thick fur of various shading covers their body. Before being afflicted with the Curse of Flesh, the tol'vir had stone bodies and gems encrusted in certain areas. Some of the larger tol'vir had a pair of stone wings. Culture In ancient times, the tol'vir were charged with guarding and keeping the structures and artifacts of the benevolent Titans. All the combat protocols that the titans programmed into the tol'virs ancestors are still there, though some are part of their instincts, some get passed on as traditions. To this day, the tol'vir keep this charge, but have also established their own cultures and cities in the process. Tol'vir buildings are made of stone and mud, shaped into bricks and placed into cube like structures. While simple, they are effective at blocking out the harsh sun on the Uldum desert, or cutting out the unforgiving winds. Although the systems keeping Uldum hidden from the rest of the world worked flawlessly from the ordering of Azeroth up until the Cataclysm, the tol'vir inside did have some knowledge of what was going on outside their home: many of the titans' security devices in Uldum were in communication with the other titanic cities (Ulduar, Uldaman, etc.). The Halls of Origination were actually the system that Algalon the Observer intended to activate upon his arrival in Ulduar. The tol'vir tribes are lead by kings, and live in what appears to be a monarch system of government. When the king passes on, the oldest living heir will take it's place, and so on. Higher ranking members of tol'vir society, such as generals, kings, and high priests, wear head pieces that are shaped like rams or birds. It is known that the tol'vir revere the Titans and their guardians, so these may be shaped in honor of the Titan guardians. The tol'vir have many sacred areas around Uldum. While the prime religion and beliefs of these creatures is not known at this time (see speculation), it is clear that it is of importance to the Tol'vir, as High priests of the tribes are held in high standing. Faith Some of the Tol'vir use Light based abilities, and call forth the powers of Light: High Prophet Barim summons forth the powers of Heaven's Fury and Repentance, while Temple Guardian Anhuur varies from Searing Light to Divine Reckoning. The Dungeon Journal clarifies that these two do utilize the powers of the light, but the description of the latter makes it clear the creature had to be specifically empowered to utilize these powers, making it unlikely to be available to the majority of the Tol'vir. Tol'vir priests are referred to as sun priests, which could indicate some sort of connection with the sun. Indeed, the sun is often referred in locations throughout Uldum (Seal of the Sun King, Obelisk of the Sun, Tomb of the Sun King) and there is a temple that is explicitly powered by the sun. In addition, statues of Rahj, the Watcher of the sun, are a common sight throughout Uldum. However, many of these locations were constructed (and presumably named) by the Titans, so it might not be indicative of the Tol'vir religion. Languages They appear to have their own language, but they also seem to be able to speak both Common and Orcish, as they interact with both Horde and Alliance adventurers. It is also not outside the realm of possibility that they speak Titan, the language of their creators. Tribes Three tribes exist in the present day named after the cities they live in: Ramkahen, Orsis (nearly wiped out by Al'Akir) and Neferset. The latter tribe has allied with Deathwing in order to regain the tol'vir's stone form. Trivia (None) Category:Races Category:Humanoids Category:Creatures